World Osteoporosis Day: Nurture your bones with diet and exercise

Zee Media Bureau/Salome Phelamei

Our bones, like the rest of our body need special care as they continue to replenish our cells and support us.

The functions of the bones in the human body are abundant and critical. The bones play a vital role in supporting our bodies, giving us strong skeletal frameworks that enable us to live on land without collapsing under our own weight.

Our bones also act as a storehouse for calcium, an element that plays a vital role in the functioning of cells throughout our bodies, as well as in the transmission of electrical impulses along our nerves.

As the bones become thinner with age, the older you are, the greater your risk of osteoporosis – a common disease of the bone.

As per experts, women have an increased risk of osteoporosis then men because of genetic factors, age, menopause, and lifestyle.

Diet and physical exercise play a vital role in ensuring healthy bones.

Diet and osteoporosis

• Foods rich in calcium, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin K, strontium, boron, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium are important to help maintain healthy bones as well as to reduce your risk of fractures.
• Dairy products like milk, cheese and yogurt are the best source of calcium.
• Other foods such as green vegetables, cereals and juices also have calcium.
• Fatty fish like as mackerel, salmon, and tuna are a great source of vitamin D.

Exercise

• Weight-bearing and muscle-strengthening exercises can help maintain bone density while preventing osteoporosis.
• However, high-impact weight-bearing exercises such as dancing, running, and jumping rope should be avoided if you've already broken a bone.
• Low-impact weight-bearing activities such as speed walking stair-step machines, light weigh lifting, walking, etc, can be incorporated as an alternative.

World Osteoporosis Day is celebrated annually on 20 October to raise awareness of the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis and metabolic bone disease.

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